Australia clinched the match on Saturday when Hewitt and Guccione took out the doubles for an unbeatable 3-0 lead.

Rafter said the tie against Uzbekistan would be tough from the day the team landed in Tashkent.

''I presume they'll put us on indoor clay … they're a tough team and one of the worst draws you could draw from the Asian group,'' Rafter said.

''But we still like to think we're going to go in there with a better than 50 per cent chance of winning it.''

■ Rafael Nadal says he's not focused on winning his first match in eight months when he returns next week at the Chile Open.

The result was not as important for now as achieving ''an acceptable level'' after a left knee injury forced him to take the longest break of his career, he said on Saturday.

''After spending more than six months without competing, I'm not thinking about becoming No. 1,'' Nadal said. ''It's something that even when I'm in good shape and starting the year I don't plan, so I'm not going to plan it now.''

The 11-time grand slam champion said his knee has improved but it still hurt sometimes and he's going to remain ''humble and patient''.

He is also scheduled to play in the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo and the Mexico Open in Acapulco this month.

AAP/ AP

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